More than 200 X-rays were found while cleaning out the roof-space of a 1930s purpose-built doctor’s residence in the Adelaide Hills. Dating between 1936 and 1947, the majority are in readable condition and catalogued by name, date and physiology. Some of the names are familiar district surnames.

The township of Lobethal has a rich history and many interested participants in local history. As such, we’d like to talk to families and friends of people who may have visited the doctor’s surgery in those early years. The purpose is to record the stories of the X-rays either orally, pictorially or in written format and share them with the community.

While gathering these stories and seeking legal permissions*, I decided to paint two ‘X-ray style’ oil paintings on canvas and enter them into the Adelaide Hills Council’s 20th Anniversary Art Exhibition. The exhibition will be held at the newly appointed Arts and Heritage Hub at the Lobethal Woollen Mill from 24 Nov – 10 Dec 2017, where the paintings will be for sale.

The first is this skull X-ray, painted using predominantly cadmium red and pthalo blue. The second is a chest X-ray (pictured below), painted using predominantly cadmium red and viridian (blue/green). Both paintings were drawn from actual X-rays, including the idiosyncrasies within each.

My purpose for entering them in the exhibition is to raise awareness for the project and get people to approach me and share their stories. If you have historical information about this topic, please email me at KendreArt@kendreart.com

*Privacy laws and permissions: currently in discussions with the Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy and various Australian historical societies. Nothing will be made public without the correct consent and permissions.